


Knock Three Times

by msmaj



Series: 2019 Songfic Writing Challenge [2]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Movie Night, Pre-Canon, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-03
Updated: 2019-10-03
Packaged: 2020-12-07 21:53:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20982968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/msmaj/pseuds/msmaj
Summary: The tweenage gang has a movie night in the treehouse.





	Knock Three Times

_ _

_If you look out your window tonight_  
_Pull in the string with the note that's attached to my heart_  
_Read how many times I saw you_  
_How in my silence I adored you_  
_Only in my dreams did that wall between us come apart_  
_Oh my darling_

**Knock Three Times- Tony Orlando and Dawn**

“But it’s a chick flick!” Archie whined. At twelve, it seemed that all Archie did anymore was whine. Especially on movie nights. Especially when it was Betty’s pick.

She sighed, arms crossed over her chest. “It’s not!” Jughead shot her a look from across the treehouse. “Okay, maybe it is a little bit but it also fits the theme!”

Archie still looked unimpressed. “Well, okay, but...Jug and I don’t wanna watch it.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you spoke for Jughead now. Maybe he does want to watch it.”

He could feel it the moment her eyes landed on him even though he’d gone back to reading his book. Nearly every week it was the same thing. Betty and Archie arguing about movies. If it hadn’t been happening for years, maybe he wouldn’t get so annoyed and try to tune it out. It’s not like he didn’t get it, he did, but sometimes he thought Archie just liked arguing with Betty to get a rise out of her. Of course, he was the only one without a sibling so in a way it made sense. But Betty never gave in, and Jughead always ended up taking her side, because the whole thing was about them being together with the family they made.

It was why they were trying to implement themes for their movie nights. So that no one could pick the same type of movie week after week; that they were forced some variety. Mostly he enjoyed it, being introduced to things he hadn’t seen. Even if Archie primarily picked superhero movies, every now and again there’d be something that was influenced by Fred or Mary.

Jughead would probably agree that he had a type as well. He always seemed to find some Hitchcock or Kubrick flick that fit with that month's prescribed theme. He supposed that was kind of the point. The three of them, still thick as thieves, sharing those little pieces of themselves so that as they grew, they still did it together.

“Juggie?” His eyes met hers. _Fuck._ While Archie was immune to Betty Cooper’s patented puppy-dog eyes, he was decidedly not.

Exhaling slowly, Jughead tried to straighten up in the exceedingly small space. “Betts, it’s not so much that I don’t _want_ to watch it…”

He watched the light fade from her eyes, a soft flicker behind the green that she tried to hide behind a smile. She moved to close her laptop with a shake of her head and an almost imperceptible sniffle.

His hand shot out to stop her, the contact yielding a sharp intake of breath and, if he wasn’t mistaken, a soft, rosy hue on her cheeks. Before pulling away, he gave her hand a gentle squeeze and said, “Yeah, maybe it’s not my first choice, but it’s not my night. Besides, you’re right. _Now and Then_ totally fits the theme.”

“Jug, c’mon! You can’t do this to me!” Archie groaned, protesting from beneath his pillow, knowing full well he’d lost this battle too.

"Your pick for coming of age movie was both the new AND old _Karate Kid_. We watched two movies last week, at your behest, the least we can do is watch the only chick flick Betty's ever suggested."

The smile Betty gave him was enough to make him never regret that decision, it was also the first time he distinctly remembers feeling butterflies. From then on out, every time he saw Betty they’d make a reappearance, no matter how much he tried to suppress it. So he scooted a little bit closer, enough that when she realized it, a soft sigh escaped her lips as her head came to rest on his shoulder.

And that’s how they watched the movie. Archie had fallen asleep in the first hour, mumbling something about there not being enough action—of any kind— to keep his interest.

“Thanks for siding with me, Juggie. Even if it means having to watch a chick flick,” she was looking up at him now, illuminated only by the light of her laptop, the green of her eyes nearly glowing in the darkness.

His hand slipped around her shoulders, pulling her even closer to him. “Well, it is pretty girly, I can’t lie but it’s totally a coming of age movie. The theme is one-hundred percent represented. How could I protest? Even if I’m being forced to endure this kitschy soundtrack.”

Betty smacked him lightly on the chest before laughing. “Stop, it’s fun! How can you not smile when this is playing?”

“So easy.” They laughed, Betty, playing with the strings to her too-big hoodie.

“I know things aren’t ideal at home right now,” she paused, looking up at him again, appraising. He wasn’t sure where she was going with this, her being the only one who knew all the sordid details of his mom and sister's departure. “I just thought this could be something you show Jelly when she’s a little bit older. It’s a great movie to watch with an older sibling.”

“Is that how you saw this? Polly?” Betty nodded against his chest. “Thank you. For thinking of her.” Jughead wasn’t sure what emotion came on first; the overwhelming sadness at the thought of when he’d see his sister next or the absolute elation he’d experienced when he realized she picked this out with him in mind. “I can’t wait for us to show her.”

She beamed back at him and nodded. “Neither can I, Juggie.”

And years later, when he finally worked up the nerve to tell her exactly what she meant to him, he climbed a ladder to her room, knocked three times on the window and got to kiss the girl.

**Author's Note:**

> Songfic Challenge (reposted)  
Day two: A song with a number in the title- Knock Three Times- Tony Orlando and Dawn
> 
> Amazing header by the amazing theheavycrown.


End file.
